Belmore Court Manager Features in NITB Campaign

Belmore Court and Motel’s owner Terry McCartney has discovered a new role in life. Not only is he a motelier but a TV Ad campaign star! Those who have seen the new Discover Northern Ireland Spring 2014 promotional ads will be familiar with Terry’s starring role. For those who haven’t you can take a peak;

Entitled ‘Discover the People, Discover the Place’ it is voiced over by Hollywood star and Ballymena boy Liam Neeson. Terry describes his involvement as evolving from a simple phone call from the Ad agency behind the campaign. They wanted to speak to people in Fermanagh about Fermanagh. Terry spoke about the county, his business at Belmore Court and Motel and about his hobbies which include photography and the locations in the county where he goes to take pictures.

Later that evening he received a call asking him to participate in the Ad campaign regarding Fermanagh, which he agreed to. Seven days later he met up with the production team at Crom Estate at 8am and the Ad was explained further to Terry. We’re assured that he was fully prepared for this strenuous day of filming by enjoying bacon butties with the crew prior to filming the documentary style Ad. They had invited another photographer along for the day, Eunan from Leitrim, with the aim being to show what Fermanagh was like, matching photographer with photographer and showing the beautiful sites of Fermanagh.

At Crom Estate they met John from the National Trust who has five generations of family living on the estate. They were given a tour and moved on to have lunch on the Lady of the Lake cruiser. Their skipper Frank took them out on Lough Erne and gave them a tour of Fermanagh’s Lakelands. Terry says that Eunan “couldn’t believe the breath taking beauty” of Fermanagh. On their boat trip they made their way towards Devenish Island. They saw the interpretive centre and returned to shore a little damper than when they had begun their journey. To end their day went to Blakes of the Hollow where they discussed the day’s activities. Terry believes Eunan was more than impressed with Fermanagh and was happy to return home and tell people about it. It was Terry’s “pleasure to show him Fermanagh, everything from its beauty, its scenery to the craic and the good food and pubs on offer.”

The Ad has already started being showing on TV and there are three versions of the Ad available. There is also a more detailed three minute look at the Fermanagh Ad with Terry and Eunan available online.

 

Feel free to visit us at the Belmore Court and Motel to take in the beauty of Fermanagh for yourself and keep an eye out for Terry coming to a TV screen or billboard near you! Please refrain from drawing moustaches amongst other things on his campaign, some friends of the Belmore Court and Motel are threatening not to be so kind!

Read more on the NITB blog - http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/discover-northern-ireland/discover-the-beauty.aspxhttp://www.discovernorthernireland.com/discover-northern-ireland/discover-the-beauty.aspx

Fermanagh for the Famous

Forget about Hollywood, well known celebrities and sports people have popped up all over the county over the last weeks.

Colin Farrell and Jessica Chastain are currently shooting a movie adaptation of Strindberg's groundbreaking play - Miss Julie. Oscar-nominated Zero Dark Thirty star Jessica Chastain has been lined up for Miss Julie, to be directed by Norwegian actor-director Liv Ullmann. Colin Farrell has been cast alongside Chastain, and Samantha Morton is also due to take a role.
Strindberg's play was written in 1888 and first performed a year later, and pioneered the use of theatrical naturalism to tell its parable of class and power. Miss Julie is a count's daughter who finds herself attracted to her father's footman, Jean. It is not know if Ullmann plans to stick to the play's original setting – a Swedish country house in 1874 – or rework it for a different period. The last significant film adaptation was the 1999 version directed by Mike Figgis, with Saffron Burrows and Peter Mullan in the lead roles.

Lilley's Centra on the Shore Road, Enniskillen have even made some special new flavours for Colin Farrell (Cola Farrell) and Ulster Rugby (SUFTUM Baby)

The Ulster Rugby team have also been training in the area. Staying at the 5 star Lough Erne Resort, Coach, Tony Anscombe and his team have been trainning on Portora Royal School Rugby pitches and using the spa facilities at the resort in preparation for this weekends European Cup Quater-final in London against Saracens.

I've been lucky enough to meet a Colin Farrell and a few of the rugby guys. They have all been very approachable. I found a few tips for you to remember if you meeth celebrities when in Enniskillen.

1. Find the right time to approach them. You would not want to be bothered by a stranger if you were in the middle of an important conversation, would you? Try to wait until the person is unoccupied or until they finish a cell phone call.
2. Approach politely. Smile and introduce yourself gently.
3. Open with a compliment. Do not overly flatter a celebrity, or you will sound phony. Be specific. For example, tell them you thought they were great in a certain role or that you appreciate their work for a certain charity. Do not give a generic compliment, such as “I’m your biggest fan,” and do not critique the person.
4. If you have something obviously in common with them, share this information. Building a rapport through similarities is a great way to get anyone talking to you.
5. Explain what you want. If you just want to chat and enjoy the moment, fine. If you want an autograph or picture with them, politely and quickly ask. Be prepared and make sure you have a pen and a paper to autograph handy before you approach them. If they consent to give you an autograph, hand them the notepad; do not make them wait. As well, make sure your camera is ready if you want a picture and never approach them by sticking your notepad or camera in his or her face.
6. Watch their body language. Body language can clue you in on how they are feeling about the interaction. If they appear rushed or if they keep walking as you are talking, or if they glance at their watch, be sensitive to that time crunch. If they seem distressed, this probably is not a good time to talk.
7. Converse with them if they appear to like you, but remember they may just be trying to be polite. Try not to drag the conversation on.
8. Avoid overly gushing. Some celebrities cannot get enough compliments; they like to hear how great you think they are. In general, too much enthusiasm on your part may embarrass them, or scare them off.
9. Be a good listener. If they actually engage in a conversation with you, pay attention to what they are saying. Do not interrupt them, but build upon their statements as you would for any good conversation.
10. Stick to talking about their public life. Unless the celebrity brings it up, it is usually best to avoid conversing about his or her family or other private issues. At the extreme, this can seem very creepy.
11. Be discreet. Do not draw attention to a celebrity if other people have not recognized them. While one fan may be tolerable, ten or fifteen fans crowding around is certainly not.
12. Take pictures discreetly. If your camera is handy, either take the picture from a certain distance, or ask them if they would mind if you snapped a quick photo. However, if the celebrity is in disguise, it would be much better to photograph him or her from away, as you should not draw any extra attention to them. Do not take a picture of you and the celebrity, without asking for permission first. But, if the star is friendly, you could ask if they would let you have a picture taken with them.
13. Wrap up nicely. Be sure to thank the celebrity for his or her time or for an autograph or photo, and say something like, “It was great to meet you.”
14. Accept rejection. It is okay for you to ask quickly for an autograph or photo, but it is also okay for him/her to decline. If your request is turned down, do not force the issue. They are allowed to have their personal space. Don’t be pushy.
15. Try to call them by their public name. Do not call them by a nickname, as that is too familiar! You do not know them, they don't know you. Do not call their names out loudly, unless in a meet or greet situation, where it is expected.

For more information visit http://www.wikihow.com/Know-when-to-Talk-to-a-Celebrity

BBC Blandings from Crom Castle in Fermanagh

Once again Fermanagh is centre of the universe when the brand new BBC TV series kicks off -  "Blandings" - Sunday 13th January 2013 @ 6.30pm. The celebrated stories of PG Wodehouse will be coming to life on BBC One as Timothy Spall and Jennifer Saunders star in Blandings, a new comedy series written by Guy Andrews and based on Wodehouse's work.

PG Wodehouse is hailed as one of the greatest comic writers in the English Language, Describing the series Guy Andrews said: "Blandings Castle is dysfunction junction, the home of a chaotic family struggling to keep itself in order. Clarence Emsworth, ninth earl and master of Blandings Castle, yearns with all his soul to be left in peace; preferably in the company of his beloved pig, The Empress. But he never is. There is always someone who wants him to do something. Presiding over the blitzkrieg on his equilibrium is the baleful figure of his sister Connie, with whom he shares the house; at her shoulder is Clarence's brainless younger son Freddie and a panoply of friends, enemies, servants, spongers, private detectives, bookies and confidence tricksters.

The six self-contained episodes will be set 1929, and will be filmed on location in Northern Ireland at the fabulous Crom Castle with the support of Northern Ireland Screen. Timothy Spall will play the amiable and befuddled Lord Emsworth (Clarence to his friends), with Jennifer Saunders as his indomitable sister Connie.

Crom Castle is set with a 1,900 acre estate on the shores of Lough Erne and the exisiting was built in 1820. This has been home to Crichton family for many years. The house is owned by the family while the estate is managed by the National Trust.

Episode 1 of 6

DURATION: 30 MINUTES

Clarence has to get his pig eating again or he will lose the Fattest Pig prize to his fiendish rival. Meanwhile, Connie demands he put a stop to his niece Angela's love affair with cowboy Jimmy.